The subject invention relates to toy musical instruments, and more particularly to a wireless toy musical instrument, the output of which may be transmitted to a separate receiver means such as a standard radio or a tuner-speaker combination, either on the AM or FM band. While devices for transmitting the output of a musical instrument to a standard radio or tuner-speaker combination exist, said devices have shortcomings that preclude them from being a marketable toy product. For example, known devices generally consist of a stringed musical instrument, such as a guitar, having an inductance type pick-up member disposed directly adjacent the strings of the guitar. The pick-up member is typically a magnetized ferrite bar having a wire coil around it. The movement of the strings adjacent the pick-up member generates a small electric current which, by means of circuitry in the guitar, is transmitted as a radio frequency signal to a nearby receiver means such as a radio. A major shortcoming with such devices as regards their transmission on the FM band lies in the fact that they fail to meet current regulations of the FCC, the agency which regulates the transmission of signals onto standard radios. More particularly, current FCC regulations do not permit the use of an inductance type pick-up member in the transmission of radio frequency signals on the FM band. Of course, without FCC approval, such a device cannot be legally marketed. It will also be appreciated that all such devices, including AM as well as FM transmitters, require that all of the strings of the instrument be metal, a fact that adds to the manufacturing costs of the product, and hurts the viability of the device as a marketable toy item for children.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a wireless toy musical instrument, the output of which may be transmitted onto a standard radio or tuner-speaker combination, either on the AM band or FM band, which meets current FCC regulations, and which is sturdy, and economical to manufacture.